Monthly archives "November 2011"

I normally buy all my food from the Ethical Co-op, with one exception. Bananas! We haven’t had for a while as the supermarkets have been taking all the available organic bananas, so I’m very happy that this week they are available again and I don’t have to head off to the aisles. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep a regular supply going.

This week the first of the season’s plums and apricots are also available. Super gold plums, a small, tasty early season variety are available from Tierhoek in Roberston, and plums from Naturally Organic and small cherry plums from Bloublommetjies biodynamic farm in Wellington.

And if that’s not enough, and you’re looking for something a little more green, pak choi (Chinese cabbage) and tatsoi (spinach mustard) are also back. These leafy greens are great for juicing, for salads or for light cooking.

There’s snow on the Cape mountains, hail in Cape Town, and heat waves in the rest of the country. The unseasonal hail in particular can cause damage to crops, so we hope we’re able to supply everything listed this week.

Chocoholics and Sea Dogs
Chocoholics are rarely lacking with our offerings, but this week we’re adding two more to the mix. Honest Chocolate’s range of raw chocolates now includes a cracked coffee beans variety (with suitably wide-eyed bush baby on the wrapper), and Kalahari Salt. Each chocolate variety features a wrapper designed by a local artist, and is produced right here in Cape Town. What’s more, we’ve reduced the price on the entire range.

New Plumstead Collection Point
We welcome a new collection point in Plumstead this week – name Heath Shop in Gabriel Road. Remember, if you want to change your default delivery status, or collection point, you can click “Change details” at the top of the page and choose a new default.

Kusile
Greenpeace are leading protests today at the construction site of the Kusile coal power station, due to be completed by 2016. Just weeks before South Africa plays host to the next climate change conference, it’s business as usual as South Africa rolls out Kusile and Medupi, two huge coal power stations. The World Bank has funded the coal power stations to the tune of $3.75 billion dollars, while providing a token $250 million dollars for renewable energy projects to try and offset the criticism that it’s supporting dirty coal.

It’s a tragedy that with so many alternatives, so much funding and so much effort is being funnelled towards continuing to cause so much harm.

Fynbos blue cheese?
Those of you that ordered last week would have noticed a sample fynbos soap from Bloublommetjies. Consisting of 100% natural and biodynamic ingredients, it’s a hard soap made in the traditional open-pot boiling way with wild sage (bloublomsalie), coconut oil and soda-ash lye. Finally, it’s cured for 3 months in wooden moulds.

While it may be great for cleaning, it’s not so good for eating, as as one unfortunate recipient discovered after excitedly slicing off a piece to taste, thinking it was a blue cheese.

Have a great week,
Ian and the Ethical team

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